We have developed the single-strand linker ligation method (SSLLM), which uses DNA ligase to add ... more We have developed the single-strand linker ligation method (SSLLM), which uses DNA ligase to add a dsDNA linker to single-stranded (ss) full-length cDNA. The linkers have random 6-bp (dN6 or dGN5) 3' overhangs that can ligate to any cDNA sequence, thereby facilitating the production of cDNA libraries with titers exceeding 1 x 10(6) independent clones. We confirmed that the 5' ends of cDNA inserts cloned by using SSLLM are full-length and include the 5' untranslated regions. The great advantage of our method is that the elimination of the GC tail simplifies the sequencing and protein translation of the full-length clones. Further, our method tags ss cDNAs more efficiently than does the traditional RNA ligase reaction.
Understanding how cells use complex transcriptional programs to alter their fate in response to s... more Understanding how cells use complex transcriptional programs to alter their fate in response to specific stimuli is an important question in biology. For the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line, we applied gene expression trajectory models to identify the genes involved in driving cell fate transitions. We modified trajectory models to account for the scenario where cells were exposed to different stimuli, in this case epidermal growth factor and heregulin, to arrive at different cell fates, i.e. proliferation and differentiation respectively. Using genome-wide CAGE time series data collected from the FANTOM5 consortium, we identified the sets of promoters that were involved in the transition of MCF-7 cells to their specific fates versus those with expression changes that were generic to both stimuli. Of the 1,552 promoters identified, 1,091 had stimulus-specific expression while 461 promoters had generic expression profiles over the time course surveyed. Many of these stimulus-spec...
Genes that are commonly deregulated in cancer are clinically attractive as candidate pan-diagnost... more Genes that are commonly deregulated in cancer are clinically attractive as candidate pan-diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. To globally identify such targets, we compared Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) profiles from 225 different cancer cell lines and 339 corresponding primary cell samples to identify transcripts that are deregulated recurrently in a broad range of cancer types. Comparing RNA-seq data from 4,055 tumors and 563 normal tissues profiled in the TCGA and FANTOM5 datasets, we identified a core transcript set with theranostic potential. Our analyses also revealed enhancer RNAs which are upregulated in cancer, defining promoters which overlap with repetitive elements (especially SINE/Alu and LTR/ERV1 elements) that are often upregulated in cancer. Lastly, we documented for the first time upregulation of multiple copies of the REP522 interspersed repeat in cancer. Overall, our genome-wide expression profiling approach identified a comprehensive set of candid...
Multidrug resistance 2 (Mdr2), also called adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette B4 (ABCB4), is... more Multidrug resistance 2 (Mdr2), also called adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette B4 (ABCB4), is the transporter of phosphatidylcholine (PC) at the canalicular membrane of mouse hepatocytes, which plays an essential role for bile formation. Mutations in human homologue MDR3 are associated with several liver diseases. Knockout of Mdr2 results in hepatic inflammation, liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Whereas the pathogenesis in Mdr2 (-/-) mice has been largely attributed to the toxicity of bile acids due to the absence of PC in the bile, the question of whether Mdr2 deficiency per se perturbs biological functions in the cell has been poorly addressed. As Mdr2 is expressed in many cell types, we used mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) derived from Mdr2 (-/-) embryos to show that deficiency of Mdr2 increases reactive oxygen species accumulation, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. We found that Mdr2 (-/-) MEFs undergo spontaneous transformation and that Mdr2 (-/-) mice ...
VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling plays a central role in lymphatic development, regulating the budding of... more VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling plays a central role in lymphatic development, regulating the budding of lymphatic progenitor cells from embryonic veins and maintaining the expression of PROX1 during later developmental stages. However, how VEGFR-3 activation translates into target gene expression is still not completely understood. We used cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) RNA sequencing to characterize the transcriptional changes invoked by VEGF-C in LECs and to identify the transcription factors (TFs) involved. We found that MAFB, a TF involved in differentiation of various cell types, is rapidly induced and activated by VEGF-C. MAFB induced expression of PROX1 as well as other TFs and markers of differentiated LECs, indicating a role in the maintenance of the mature LEC phenotype. Correspondingly, E14.5 Mafb(-/-) embryos showed impaired lymphatic patterning in the skin. This suggests that MAFB is an important TF involved in lymphangiogenesis.
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) suppress transposon activity in animal germ cells. In the Drosophi... more Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) suppress transposon activity in animal germ cells. In the Drosophila ovary, primary Aubergine (Aub)-bound antisense piRNAs initiate the ping-pong cycle to produce secondary AGO3-bound sense piRNAs. This increases the number of secondary Aub-bound antisense piRNAs that can act to destroy transposon mRNAs. Here we show that Krimper (Krimp), a Tudor-domain protein, directly interacts with piRNA-free AGO3 to promote symmetrical dimethylarginine (sDMA) modification, ensuring sense piRNA-loading onto sDMA-modified AGO3. In aub mutant ovaries, AGO3 associates with ping-pong signature piRNAs, suggesting AGO3's compatibility with primary piRNA loading. Krimp sequesters ectopically expressed AGO3 within Krimp bodies in cultured ovarian somatic cells (OSCs), in which only the primary piRNA pathway operates. Upon krimp-RNAi in OSCs, AGO3 loads with piRNAs, further showing the capacity of AGO3 for primary piRNA loading. We propose that Krimp enforces an antisense bias on piRNA pools by binding AGO3 and blocking its access to primary piRNAs.
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2014
Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) provides accurate high-throughput measurement of RNA expre... more Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) provides accurate high-throughput measurement of RNA expression. By the large-scale analysis of 5' end of transcripts using CAGE method, it enables not only determination of the transcription start site but also prediction of promoter region. Here we provide a protocol for the construction of no-amplification non-tagging CAGE libraries for Illumina next-generation sequencers (nAnT-iCAGE). We have excluded the commonly used PCR amplification and cleavage of restriction enzyme to eliminate any potential biases. As a result, we achieved less biased simple preparation process.
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2009
Full-length cDNAs are essential for the correct annotation of transcriptional units and gene prod... more Full-length cDNAs are essential for the correct annotation of transcriptional units and gene products from genomic sequence data and for functional analysis of the genes. Full-length cDNA libraries are very important resources for isolation of the full-length cDNAs. The biotinylated cap trapper method using the trehalose-thermostabilized reverse transcriptase has been developed and has become an efficient method for construction of high-content full-length cDNA libraries. We have constructed full-length cDNA libraries from various plants and animals using this method. The protocol of the method is described in this chapter.
Briefings in functional genomics & proteomics, 2007
For the past decade, extensive efforts have been made for establishing cDNA clone resources for v... more For the past decade, extensive efforts have been made for establishing cDNA clone resources for various species. The most striking breakthrough has been full-length cDNA technology allowing cloning of intact RNA molecules as cDNA. These transcriptomics resources are providing researchers with essential tools for studies of functional genomics. Here, the importance of quality and availability of these resources is discussed.
With the advancement of genome research, it is becoming clear that genes are not distributed on t... more With the advancement of genome research, it is becoming clear that genes are not distributed on the genome in random order. Clusters of genes distributed at localized genome positions have been reported in several eukaryotes. Various correlations have been observed between the expressions of genes in adjacent or nearby positions along the chromosomes depending on tissue type and developmental stage. Moreover, in several cases, their transcripts, which control epigenetic transcription via processes such as transcriptional interference and genomic imprinting, occur in clusters. It is reasonable that genomic regions that have similar mechanisms show similar expression patterns and that the characteristics of expression in the same genomic regions differ depending on tissue type and developmental stage. In this study, we analyzed gene expression patterns using the cap analysis gene expression (CAGE) method for exploring systematic views of the mouse transcriptome. Counting the number of...
We have developed the single-strand linker ligation method (SSLLM), which uses DNA ligase to add ... more We have developed the single-strand linker ligation method (SSLLM), which uses DNA ligase to add a dsDNA linker to single-stranded (ss) full-length cDNA. The linkers have random 6-bp (dN6 or dGN5) 3' overhangs that can ligate to any cDNA sequence, thereby facilitating the production of cDNA libraries with titers exceeding 1 x 10(6) independent clones. We confirmed that the 5' ends of cDNA inserts cloned by using SSLLM are full-length and include the 5' untranslated regions. The great advantage of our method is that the elimination of the GC tail simplifies the sequencing and protein translation of the full-length clones. Further, our method tags ss cDNAs more efficiently than does the traditional RNA ligase reaction.
Understanding how cells use complex transcriptional programs to alter their fate in response to s... more Understanding how cells use complex transcriptional programs to alter their fate in response to specific stimuli is an important question in biology. For the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line, we applied gene expression trajectory models to identify the genes involved in driving cell fate transitions. We modified trajectory models to account for the scenario where cells were exposed to different stimuli, in this case epidermal growth factor and heregulin, to arrive at different cell fates, i.e. proliferation and differentiation respectively. Using genome-wide CAGE time series data collected from the FANTOM5 consortium, we identified the sets of promoters that were involved in the transition of MCF-7 cells to their specific fates versus those with expression changes that were generic to both stimuli. Of the 1,552 promoters identified, 1,091 had stimulus-specific expression while 461 promoters had generic expression profiles over the time course surveyed. Many of these stimulus-spec...
Genes that are commonly deregulated in cancer are clinically attractive as candidate pan-diagnost... more Genes that are commonly deregulated in cancer are clinically attractive as candidate pan-diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. To globally identify such targets, we compared Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) profiles from 225 different cancer cell lines and 339 corresponding primary cell samples to identify transcripts that are deregulated recurrently in a broad range of cancer types. Comparing RNA-seq data from 4,055 tumors and 563 normal tissues profiled in the TCGA and FANTOM5 datasets, we identified a core transcript set with theranostic potential. Our analyses also revealed enhancer RNAs which are upregulated in cancer, defining promoters which overlap with repetitive elements (especially SINE/Alu and LTR/ERV1 elements) that are often upregulated in cancer. Lastly, we documented for the first time upregulation of multiple copies of the REP522 interspersed repeat in cancer. Overall, our genome-wide expression profiling approach identified a comprehensive set of candid...
Multidrug resistance 2 (Mdr2), also called adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette B4 (ABCB4), is... more Multidrug resistance 2 (Mdr2), also called adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette B4 (ABCB4), is the transporter of phosphatidylcholine (PC) at the canalicular membrane of mouse hepatocytes, which plays an essential role for bile formation. Mutations in human homologue MDR3 are associated with several liver diseases. Knockout of Mdr2 results in hepatic inflammation, liver fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Whereas the pathogenesis in Mdr2 (-/-) mice has been largely attributed to the toxicity of bile acids due to the absence of PC in the bile, the question of whether Mdr2 deficiency per se perturbs biological functions in the cell has been poorly addressed. As Mdr2 is expressed in many cell types, we used mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) derived from Mdr2 (-/-) embryos to show that deficiency of Mdr2 increases reactive oxygen species accumulation, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage. We found that Mdr2 (-/-) MEFs undergo spontaneous transformation and that Mdr2 (-/-) mice ...
VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling plays a central role in lymphatic development, regulating the budding of... more VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling plays a central role in lymphatic development, regulating the budding of lymphatic progenitor cells from embryonic veins and maintaining the expression of PROX1 during later developmental stages. However, how VEGFR-3 activation translates into target gene expression is still not completely understood. We used cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) RNA sequencing to characterize the transcriptional changes invoked by VEGF-C in LECs and to identify the transcription factors (TFs) involved. We found that MAFB, a TF involved in differentiation of various cell types, is rapidly induced and activated by VEGF-C. MAFB induced expression of PROX1 as well as other TFs and markers of differentiated LECs, indicating a role in the maintenance of the mature LEC phenotype. Correspondingly, E14.5 Mafb(-/-) embryos showed impaired lymphatic patterning in the skin. This suggests that MAFB is an important TF involved in lymphangiogenesis.
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) suppress transposon activity in animal germ cells. In the Drosophi... more Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) suppress transposon activity in animal germ cells. In the Drosophila ovary, primary Aubergine (Aub)-bound antisense piRNAs initiate the ping-pong cycle to produce secondary AGO3-bound sense piRNAs. This increases the number of secondary Aub-bound antisense piRNAs that can act to destroy transposon mRNAs. Here we show that Krimper (Krimp), a Tudor-domain protein, directly interacts with piRNA-free AGO3 to promote symmetrical dimethylarginine (sDMA) modification, ensuring sense piRNA-loading onto sDMA-modified AGO3. In aub mutant ovaries, AGO3 associates with ping-pong signature piRNAs, suggesting AGO3's compatibility with primary piRNA loading. Krimp sequesters ectopically expressed AGO3 within Krimp bodies in cultured ovarian somatic cells (OSCs), in which only the primary piRNA pathway operates. Upon krimp-RNAi in OSCs, AGO3 loads with piRNAs, further showing the capacity of AGO3 for primary piRNA loading. We propose that Krimp enforces an antisense bias on piRNA pools by binding AGO3 and blocking its access to primary piRNAs.
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2014
Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) provides accurate high-throughput measurement of RNA expre... more Cap analysis of gene expression (CAGE) provides accurate high-throughput measurement of RNA expression. By the large-scale analysis of 5' end of transcripts using CAGE method, it enables not only determination of the transcription start site but also prediction of promoter region. Here we provide a protocol for the construction of no-amplification non-tagging CAGE libraries for Illumina next-generation sequencers (nAnT-iCAGE). We have excluded the commonly used PCR amplification and cleavage of restriction enzyme to eliminate any potential biases. As a result, we achieved less biased simple preparation process.
Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), 2009
Full-length cDNAs are essential for the correct annotation of transcriptional units and gene prod... more Full-length cDNAs are essential for the correct annotation of transcriptional units and gene products from genomic sequence data and for functional analysis of the genes. Full-length cDNA libraries are very important resources for isolation of the full-length cDNAs. The biotinylated cap trapper method using the trehalose-thermostabilized reverse transcriptase has been developed and has become an efficient method for construction of high-content full-length cDNA libraries. We have constructed full-length cDNA libraries from various plants and animals using this method. The protocol of the method is described in this chapter.
Briefings in functional genomics & proteomics, 2007
For the past decade, extensive efforts have been made for establishing cDNA clone resources for v... more For the past decade, extensive efforts have been made for establishing cDNA clone resources for various species. The most striking breakthrough has been full-length cDNA technology allowing cloning of intact RNA molecules as cDNA. These transcriptomics resources are providing researchers with essential tools for studies of functional genomics. Here, the importance of quality and availability of these resources is discussed.
With the advancement of genome research, it is becoming clear that genes are not distributed on t... more With the advancement of genome research, it is becoming clear that genes are not distributed on the genome in random order. Clusters of genes distributed at localized genome positions have been reported in several eukaryotes. Various correlations have been observed between the expressions of genes in adjacent or nearby positions along the chromosomes depending on tissue type and developmental stage. Moreover, in several cases, their transcripts, which control epigenetic transcription via processes such as transcriptional interference and genomic imprinting, occur in clusters. It is reasonable that genomic regions that have similar mechanisms show similar expression patterns and that the characteristics of expression in the same genomic regions differ depending on tissue type and developmental stage. In this study, we analyzed gene expression patterns using the cap analysis gene expression (CAGE) method for exploring systematic views of the mouse transcriptome. Counting the number of...
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